Can I Shrink Wrap My Easy Set Pool for Storage and Relocation

Moving soon? While transporting small items shouldn't be a problem, moving large, bulky furniture pieces could be a challenge – especially if you plan to move yourself. Without the proper planning, tools and equipment, your furniture could end up scratched or damaged before it even arrives at your new place. This is why you should make protecting furniture when moving a top priority. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to protect your furniture. From purchasing moving insurance to using the proper truck rental tools, here are 10 tips for protecting furniture when moving.

10 tips for protecting furniture when moving

1. Explore valuation coverage and insurance options
   

   Accidents happen, so be prepared. Don't assume that just because you're hiring professional movers, items won't break or become damaged during the moving process. While many professional movers certainly use caution when moving furniture and household items, others may not be so careful. In addition, even the best movers make occasional mistakes when moving heavy furniture. If you plan to hire professional movers to handle your relocation, make sure to explore all valuation coverage and insurance options. This is the first step towards protecting furniture when moving. Your movers should provide you with several valuation coverage options. Valuation coverage is simply the amount of liability your moving company is willing to accept in the case that your items are damaged or lost. It is not the same thing as insurance. For more information about valuation coverage and moving insurance, check here.

2. Disassemble what you can
   

   Not all furniture items should be disassembled when moving. However, for those that can be disassembled, we highly recommend doing so before the move. Furniture pieces that usually need to be taken apart include bed frames, tables and modular sofas. If you happen to have kept the original assembly instructions, simply use those for guidance on how to deconstruct the item. Wrap all parts in plastic wrap or protective covering and place inside a labeled cardboard box.

3. Place screws, nuts and bolts inside labeled plastic baggies
   

   When taking furniture apart, it's easy to forget about the screws, nuts and bolts that hold everything together. Make sure to place these inside sealed plastic baggies as you begin to disassemble furniture parts. All baggies should be labeled with the items' corresponding furniture. This way, when you arrive in your new home and begin to reassemble furniture, you won't have to look far for all of the important parts.

4. Wrap furniture in stretch wrap and moving blankets
   

   Don't just willy-nilly throw furniture onto a moving truck. If you're moving furniture items yourself, you're going to need to prep everything first. To do so, we recommend wrapping furniture parts in plastic wrap. This clingy, tear-resistant material protects furniture and other items while in transit. It's also a great way to keep furniture parts together (for example: table legs). For more tips on how to use plastic wrap when moving, check here. Another protective covering often used when moving furniture are moving blankets. These blankets are thick and will protect not only your furniture when moving but your walls as well. You could substitute moving blankets with large sheets, flattened cardboard and towels.

5. Don't move heavy furniture by yourself
   

   This tip might sound silly, but you'd be surprised how many people attempt to pick up heavy furniture by themselves without help. Not only is this a hazard to the person lifting the heavy furniture, but it's also a sure way to break or damage the furniture (and floors!). Make sure to recruit help when moving furniture. Ask friends or family members well in advance for assistance. If you aren't able to find free help, try hiring labor-only movers from HireAHelper's online marketplace. The website makes it easy for those moving to locate and book moving day labor in their area. To find moving labor, check out Moving.com's Labor Center, powered by HireAHelper.

6. Utilize special moving equipment
   

   While you may be able to move items such as small tables and lightweight chairs without special moving equipment, larger furniture pieces such as pianos, pool tables and heavy chairs will require additional equipment. This will likely include a dolly or hand truck. These are extremely useful in lifting heavy furniture pieces and appliances including large chairs, heavy refrigerators, dining tables, pianos and pool tables. To rent a dolly, simply head to your local Home Depot. The store should offer dolly rentals capable of holding up to 800 pounds. Other necessary moving equipment could include a trailer, moving straps, and a skidboard.

7. Rent a moving truck with tie-downs and a ramp
   

   Planning to move everything yourself? For a successful DIY move, you'll need to rent a moving truck or moving container with tie-downs and a ramp. Inside the truck rental, there should be tie down track where you can attach rachets (or straps) to hold down your furniture while traveling. This will keep the furniture in place and prevent it from falling or breaking when driving the moving truck to its destination. The moving truck or container should also come with a ramp to make loading and unloading heavy items an easy process.

8. Use furniture gliders, towels or cardboard to move furniture
   

   Have hardwood floors? When moving furniture through the house, be sure to place gliders, felt pads, towels or cardboard underneath the legs of the furniture. This will prevent your floors and furniture parts from scratching while they are being moved through the home. This is especially important if you aren't able to lift the items and instead need to slide the items across the floor.

9. Clear doorways
   

   The simplest way to ensure that your furniture makes it safely in and out of the home is by clearing the doorways and entryways of all clutter. Prop the doors open as widely as possible with a doorstop and keep them open throughout the move. This will make it easy to move furniture in and out of the home and will protect the furniture from hitting wall corners while being moved.

10. Clean furniture once it is unpacked and reassembled
    

    Finally, once furniture arrives in your new home, be sure to wipe it down with the appropriate cleaning supplies. When traveling, it's common for furniture and furniture cushions to accumulate dust and dirt. Unless you want this in your new home, we recommend thoroughly cleaning everything before reassembling it.

Moving soon?

Prefer to hire a moving company to transport your belongings? We don't blame you. Some things (read: heavy furniture) are best left to the professionals. Fortunately, Moving.com's extensive network of reputable and reliable movers makes it easy to find the best moving company for the job. By choosing a Moving.com mover, you can rest assured that your furniture will be in good hands. Best of luck and happy moving!

If anyone knows how to move, it's Marian White. The South Carolina native spent the last decade living and working in Washington, DC, New York City, Boston and Palm Beach. With every move, she mastered the art of folding bankers boxes, repurposing bubble wrap and unabashedly asking for directions. Before writing for Moving.com, Marian authored "Moving to Palm Beach County: The Un-Tourist Guide," a relocation guide for moving to the Palm Beaches. Marian has an M.A. in Global Marketing Communications from Emerson College and a B.A. from Furman University.View all posts by Marian White

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Source: https://www.moving.com/tips/how-to-protect-your-furniture-when-you-move/

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